Tom Richmond

CONNECTIONS of Kings Palace admit the exciting youngster will need to improve if he is to make it two from two over fences at Cheltenham today.

A three-time winner as a novice hurdler last season, David Pipe’s six-year-old made the perfect start to his career over fences with a foot-perfect round of jumping a month ago.

The four-length runner-up that day, the Philip Hobbs-trained Sausalito Sunrise, was conceding 5lb to the Pipe runner, but receives 3lb for the rematch.

Harry Drew, son of part-owner Bryan Drew, is keeping his fingers crossed that the Tom Scudamore-ridden Kings Palace can confirm the placings in the Ryman Stationery Cheltenham Business Club Novices’ Chase.

Drew said: “It looks a good race. Sausalito Sunrise is probably the main danger and we have to give him weight this time, so hopefully Kings Palace has come on for his last run.”

Classy hurdler Melodic Rendezvous, meanwhile, will face just three rivals when he makes his eagerly awaited debut over fences at Bangor.

The Grade One winner, the mount of Nick Scholfield, tackles the bigger obstacles in public for the first time in the CES Novices’ Chase after finishing third behind The New One in the Betfair Price Rush Hurdle at Haydock on his seasonal return last month.

“We’ve got to start somewhere and it’s as good a place to start as anywhere,” said trainer Jeremy Scott.

“We are really looking forward to it,”

Malcolm Jefferson’s Attaglance has been declared for tomorrow’s Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham. However good ground is key – the former Festival winner was withdrawn from last month’s Paddy Month Gold Cup because of soft ground.

The main attraction at Doncaster today is likely to be AP McCoy, the 19-times champion jockey who has four rides on Town Moor.

A competitive card also sees Rotherham-born jockey Joe Palmowski reunited with Madam Lilibet, who is trained near Richmond by Bill and Sharon Watt.